October is National Dental Hygiene Month, an opportunity to brush up on why good oral health matters. Here, Roxanne Fish, MSN, APRN, CVNP-BC, with Aultman Deuble Heart and Vascular Hospital Cardiovascular Consultants, discusses how dental hygiene is connected with heart health.

Good oral hygiene is about more than taking care of your teeth and gums – it can help your heart, too.

There is evidence of a strong link between poor oral hygiene and increased risk of heart disease. People with gum disease are two to three times more likely to have a heart attack, stroke or other serious cardiac event because of infection and inflammation related to their gum disease.

Bacteria from oral infections can enter the bloodstream and cause inflammation, which can lead to heart attacks, strokes, heart valve infections and clogging of the arteries.

Chronic gum inflammation contributes to chronic systemic inflammation – a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Chronic inflammation can worsen certain conditions such as high blood pressure and coronary artery disease.

Prolonged body-wide inflammation stemming from gum disease has also been linked to a heightened risk of atrial fibrillation, or irregular heartbeat. Such inflammation can lead to structural and functional changes in the top chambers of the heart (atria), increasing the risk of atrial fibrillation.

Here are ways to protect your oral health:

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day for two minutes each time. Brush your tongue too!
  
  
• Floss daily.
  
  
• Eat a healthy diet limiting sugary foods – especially sugary drinks.
  
  
• Replace your toothbrush every three to four months.
  
  
• See a dentist at least once a year for checkups and cleanings.
  
  
• Avoid smoking and tobacco products.

Maintaining good oral hygiene is essential to overall health and reducing your cardiovascular risk. A consistent oral hygiene routine is one of the simplest yet most effective steps you can take for long-term wellness.

Sources:
American Heart Association
Hopkins, S. et al., Am Heart J Plus